Wet products such as wet wipes have many applications. They may be used with small children and infants when changing diapers, they may be used for household cleaning tasks, they may be used for cleaning hands, they may be used as a bath tissue, they may be used by a caregiver to clean a disabled or incontinent adult, or they may be used in and for a whole host of other applications, where it is advantageous to have a wipe or towel that has some moisture in it.
Wet wipes have been traditionally dispensed in sheet from a tub like container with a hinged lid on the top. The lid is opened and individual or singularized sheets of the wipes are removed. Another type of container that has been used for wet wipes provides a roll of wipes in which the wipes are pulled from the top of the container in a direction that is parallel to the axis of the roll. These wipes are pulled from the center of a hollow coreless roll that has perforated sheets. These containers generally have a snap top lid that is opened to expose a piece of the wipes that can then be pulled to remove the desired amount of wipes. Once pulled out the wipes can then be torn off, usually at a perforation, and the lid closed.
Wet wipes can be any wipe, towel tissue or sheet like product including natural fibers, synthetic fibers, synthetic material and combinations thereof, that is wet or moist or becomes wet during use or prior to use. Examples of wet wipes are disclosed in application Ser. Nos. 09/564,449; 09/564,213; 09/565,125; 09/564,837; 09/564,939; 09/564,531; 09/564,268; 09/564,424; 09/564,780; 09/564,212; 09/565,623 all filed May 4, 2000, and application Ser. No. 09/223,999, filed Dec. 31, 1998, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Embodiments of dispensers are described in application Ser. Nos. 09/565,227 and 09/545,995; in application Ser. Nos. 09/659,307; 09/659,295; 09/660,049; 09/659,311; 09/660,040; 09/659,283; 09/659,284; 09/659,306, filed Sep. 12, 2000; in application Ser. No. 09/748,618, filed Dec. 22, 2000; in application Ser. No. 09/841,323, filed Apr. 24, 2001; in application Ser. No. 09/844,731, filed Apr. 27, 2001; and in application Ser. No. 09/849,935, filed May 4, 2001; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
There is a need for dispensers for wipes which can be easily mounted to existing toilet tissue holders. It is especially desirable that the dispensers have a size and configuration which allow them to be mounted and used in areas which have physical obstructions, such as an overhanging ledge.
In an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a dispensing system for wipes comprising a dispenser, the dispenser comprising a top; and a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising arms and protrusions on the arms; the mounting bracket capable of being connected to the dispenser and to a toilet tissue holder; the toilet tissue holder comprising posts and a horizontal axis defined by the posts; wherein the dispenser can be removably mounted between the posts of the toilet tissue holder by engagement of the protrusions with the posts such that the distance between the horizontal axis and the top of the dispenser is less than 5 inches.
These embodiments may further comprise a system wherein the mounting bracket further comprises tabs at the end of the arms; and the dispenser further comprises sleeves; wherein the tabs and sleeves mate together to connect the mounting bracket and the dispenser. These embodiments may yet further comprise a system wherein the mounting bracket further comprises tabs at the end of the arms; and the dispenser further comprises cavities and bracket guides; wherein the tabs, cavities, and bracket guides mate together to connect the mounting bracket and the dispenser. These embodiments may yet further comprise a system wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a back piece, the back piece connecting the arms, and the back piece further comprising a shim; wherein the toilet tissue holder further comprises a rear periphery, and wherein the shim contacts the rear periphery when the dispenser is mounted; and wherein the distance between the horizontal axis and the top of the dispenser is less than 4 inches, less than 3 inches, and less than 2 inches.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispensing system for wipes comprising a dispenser; and a mounting bracket attached to the dispenser; the mounting bracket comprising arms, the arms comprising protrusions; and the mounting bracket comprising a back piece, the back piece connecting the arms, and the back piece comprising a shim; wherein the mounting bracket can be removably mounted to a toilet tissue holder comprising posts and a rear periphery by engagement of the protrusions with the posts and by contact of the shim with the rear periphery.
These embodiments may further comprise a system wherein the shim is made of a compression resilient material; wherein the shim is made of foam; wherein the shim is made of a thermoplastic elastomer; and wherein the shim comprises a spring.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispensing system for wipes comprising a dispenser, the dispenser comprising a means for dispensing wet wipes and a means for receiving a bracket; and a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising a means for engaging a toilet tissue holder comprising posts and a rear periphery, and a means for connecting to the dispenser; wherein the receiving means, connecting means, and engaging means coordinate to secure the dispenser to the toilet tissue holder posts.
These embodiments may further comprise a system wherein the dispensing means is capable of maintaining at least 95% of the moisture of wet wipes for a 14 day period at 73xc2x0 F. and 50% relative humidity; wherein the receiving means and the connecting means coordinate to attach the dispenser and the mounting bracket; wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a means for contacting the rear periphery; and wherein the receiving means, connecting means, and engaging means further coordinate with the contacting means to secure the dispenser to the toilet tissue holder.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispensing system for wipes comprising a dispenser; the dispenser comprising a housing, the housing comprising sleeves; and a mounting bracket, the mounting bracket comprising a back piece and arms; the arms comprising a front, a rear, and an exterior; the arms comprising tabs at the front, and protrusions on the exterior; the back piece connecting the arms at the rear of the arms to form an interior; the back piece comprising a shim on the exterior; the tabs mated with the sleeves; and the dispenser positioned adjacent the interior of the mounting bracket; wherein the protrusions and the shim together can engage a toilet tissue holder to secure the dispenser and mounting bracket to the toilet tissue holder.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a dispenser for wipes comprising a housing; a cover, the cover pivotally connected to the housing; arms, the arms connected to the housing, the arms comprising protrusions; and a back piece, the back piece connecting the arms, the back piece comprising a shim; wherein the dispenser can be mounted to a toilet tissue holder comprising posts and a rear periphery by engaging the protrusions with the posts and contacting the shim with the rear periphery.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for dispensing wipes comprising providing a dispenser; the dispenser comprising a housing and a mounting bracket connected to the housing; and the mounting bracket comprising arms and protrusions on the arms; engaging the protrusions with the posts of a toilet tissue holder; placing wipes in the dispenser; and dispensing the wipes.
These embodiments may further comprise a method wherein the bracket further comprises a back piece, the back piece connecting the arms, and the back piece comprising a shim; and may further comprise compressing the shim against the rear periphery of a toilet tissue holder.
In an embodiment of the invention there is provided a method for dispensing wipes comprising: providing a bracket; the bracket comprising a back piece having a shim; the bracket comprising arms connected to the back piece, the arms comprising protrusions and tabs; contacting the shim against the rear periphery of a toilet tissue holder; engaging the protrusions with the posts of a toilet tissue holder; providing a dispenser, the dispenser comprising sleeves; attaching the dispenser to the bracket by mating the sleeves and the tabs; placing wipes in the dispenser; and dispensing the wipes.